Utility truck



July 4, P' E, HAWKlNs- 2,164,327

UTILITY TRUCK l Filed Aug. 4, 1937 5 sheets-sheet 1 July 4, 1939. P. E.HAwKlNs UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug. 4, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR@Q5/meca,

ATTORNEY July 4, 1939.

Filed Aug. 4, 1937 P. E. HAwKlNs 2,164,327

UTILITY TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

July 4, 1939. P; E HAwKlNs 2,164,3274

UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug, 4, 1937 5 Smets-sheet 4 ATTORN EY `Iuly 4,1939. P. E. HAwKlNs UTILITY TRUCK Filed Aug. 4, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented 'July 4, 19.39

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The Baker-Raulang Company,

a corporation of Ohio Cleveland, Ohio,

Application August 4, .1937, Serial No. 157,400

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a utility truck, more particularly to themounting thereon and control of an extensible ladder.

One object of the invention is to providean improved ladder mounting,whereby the ladder may be readily swung bodily into various angularpositions and. also tilted at desired inclina- 4tions to permit of awide range of operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide for an extensible ladderan auxiliary member, movably mounted on one of the ladder sections,whereby the ladder, when in one position, may be used as an operatingplatform.

Another object of the invention is to provide l5 an improved ladderconstruction and mounting therefor having a counterbalance and mechanismfor locking and controlling the movement of the ladder in either or bothdirections of movement.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart to which my invention relates from the following description.takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a truck embodying my inventiom Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on 3--3 of Fig. l, enlarged.

Fig. i is a fragmentary section on the -line .30 i-l of Fig. 2,enlarged; but showing the auxiliaryv member in operative position.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, but showing the brakeshoes in applied position. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the outer endportion of the extensible ladder section, parts being broken away.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view on the line I-l of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a viewon the line 8-8 of Fig. 2; but showing the parts in full lines.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of parts shown in Fig. l0, portions beingbroken away.

Fig. 10 is an end .view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig.' 11 is asection on the line II-II of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the step and itsmounting on the extensible ladder section.

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of parts shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a section on the line II--II of Fig. 12, portions beingbroken away. Fig. 15 is a detail view.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary viewshowing the latching device between theladder sections.

the line (Cl. 22S- 6) u Fig. 17 is a fragment view showing, a modica Inthe drawings, I indicates as an entirety a power driven truck havingfront steerable wheels 2 and rear driven wheels 3, which support asuitable frame, the latter providing ak platform 4 on its rear portion.Mounted on and incorporated with the frame is 'a suitable drivers seatpreferably enclosed in a cab 5, and rearward of the cab I providelongitudinally extending housings 6 arranged adjacent the opposite sidesof the platform 4. The cab 5 and housings 6 may be of any desiredconstruction. By preference, the housings 6 are divided intocompartments of various sizes -with provision for access thereto ontheir inner or outer sides; hinged doors 6a being shown in Fig. 1. Thecab 5 may be omitted; or the cab and housings may be fabricated as aunitary structure.

'I indicates an upright tubular member having at its lower end a 'hase8, which is suitably bolted to the platform 4. The upper end of thetubular member is closed by a plug or wall 9 having an upwardlyextending stud shaft III), in axial relation to the tubular member l.The shaft Illy l forms a seat for the inner race of an anti-frietionbearing Il. I2 indicates a sleeve surrounding the upper end portion ofthe tubular member l, the lower end of the sleeve rotatively engaging abushing I3 provided on the tubular member. The upper end of the sleeveI2 telescopes into a collar I4, to which it is suitably secured. Thecollar I4 is formed integrally with a plate I5 formed with an openingI6, the walls of which form a seat for the outer vrace of the bearingII. An annular member I'I is disposed in engagement with the innerlbearing race and 'in overlapping relation to the plate I5, Aand. a nutI8 engaging the threads on the outer end of the shaft I0, holds thebearing II in position and the sleeve I2 and platel I5 in rotatablerelation to the tubular member l, so that the sleeve may rotate on thebushing I3 and bearing Il. The plate I5 is provided with diametricalarms I8 (preferably formed integrally therewith) which terminate inalined hollow bosses I9. The bosses I9 support a rod 20 which extendslaterally therebeyond to provide trunnions or pivots on which a ladder,indicated as an entirety at 2|, is fulcrumed intermediate its ends,whereby it may be tilted at various inclinations, as shown in -dottedlines in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen from the foregoing descriptionthat the ladder 2| is capable of being bodily tilted about the axis ofthe rod 20 and swung about the axis of the tu- 55 bular member 1, thislatter movement permitting the ladder to be extended over a. vehicleparked on the street to enable the mechanic to reach a pole and lampsand other equipment thereon mounted on the side of the roadway.

The ladder 2| comprises a main section 22 and an extensible section 23,each section consisting of side rails 24 and suitable rungs 23a. Asshown in Fig. 4, the rails 24 of the section 23 are disposed within andguided by the rails 24 of the main section 22 and slide on the rungs ofthe latter section, being held in sliding engagement with these rungs byangles 26 ilxed to the inner sides of the rails 24 of the main section.The inner side ot each rail 24 of the ladder section 23 is provided witha suitable dog 24a arranged to engage any one of the rungs 23a of theladder section 22 when the section 23 is moved upwardly. The dog 24a lsprovided with 'a pivoted element 24a' arranged to engage the rungs ofthe section 22 in the downward movement of the section 23 and cause thedog 24a to ride the rungs. The dogs 24a are of well known construction.The rails 24 of the main section are provided along their lower endwalls with channels 26 each of which is secured in position by a plate21 fixed to the outer side of the adjacent rail and having a portionbent under and secured to the channel. As shown in Fig. 4 the side wallsof channels 26 and plate 21 are formed with alined openings to receivethe outer ends of the rod 20 to fulcrum the ladder 2| thereon.

Mechanism is provided for automatically locking the ladder 2| in anyposition to which it may be tilted y'or raised, so that when the ladderreaches the desired position no manual operation is required to preventit from swinging downwardly. This mechanism comprises two telescopingmembers, one consisting of a ratchet 28 and the other a guide 29 for.the ratchet and carrying a dog 30, normally biased into engagement withthe ratchet 28. By preference, the outer end of the ratchet 28 issuitably fixed to a web 3|, which in turn is welded or otherwise securedto a rod 32 supported in alined openings formed in the channels 26 andthe outer end of the guide 29 is pivotally supported on the outer end ofa bracket 33, the bracket having a hub 33a, surrounding and xed to thesleeve I2. The guide 29 consists-of a tubular member (of rectangularshape in cross section) suitably connected at its lower end to a casting34. The casting terminates in a hollow boss 34a, through which a pinextends to pivotally connect the casting to the walls of the bracket 33.The dog 39 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 30a and normally biased intoengagement with the ratchet 28 by a spring 35 coiled around a rod 36,pivoted to the dog at its inner end and slidably guided by the Walls ofan opening 31 formed in the rear wall of the guldemember 29. 'I'he rearend of the dog 30 is provided with a pair of spaced arms 38, betweenwhich operates a cam 39, to engage one arm 38 to lock the dog inengagement with the ratchet 28 (see Figs. 9 and 11) and to engage theother arm 38 to hold the dog 30 in anfinoperative position. The cam 39is xed to a rock shaft 40 mounted in the Walls of the guide member 29,one end of the shaft 40 being provided with a crank 4| by means of whichthe cam 39 may be operated to either position. When the cam 39 is in theposition shown in Fig. 9, the dog 3U is in locked relation to a tooth ofthe ratchet 28, so that the outer end of the ladder cannot -be raised orlowered in a vertical plane. If the cam 39 is moved to its mid orneutral position (see dotted line position of the crank 4| indicated at.'c) the ladder 2| may be tilted upwardly and in such movement theratchet 28 would be moved endwise in its guide and the nose of the dog30 would ride the ratchet. To permit tilting of the ladder downwardly,the crank 4| is operated to the position shown in dotted lines at at',which operation moves the dog 30 awayv from and maintains it out ofengagement with the ratchet 28..

To lock the ladder 2| in any position to which it may be swung laterallyI provide the following: 42 indicates a substantially bell-shaped memberthe side wall 42a of which serves as a brake drum arranged to be engagedby a pair of brake shoes 43. The bottom wall of the member 42 is boltedto the flange of the hub 33a so as to have fixed relation to the sleevei2. The corresponding ends of the brake shoes 43 are provided with ahollow boss 43a mounted on a. pin 34 depending from one edge of a plate45 having a collar 46, which is suitably xed to the tubular member 1.The boss 43a is cut through on its inner wall to permit the shoes tomove into and out of engagement with the wall 42a. Theopposite ends ofthe brake shoes 43 are pivoted to a pair of pivotally connected levers41, 41', constituting a toggle. The levers 41, 41', are connected to theupper end of a rod 48, the lower end of which is pivoted to a foot lever49, fulcrumed on the base 8, whereby the levers 41, 41', may be operatedto apply and release the shoes 43. When the lever 49 is operateddownwardly (such position of the lever being shown in Figs. 4 and 5),the toggle levers 41, 41', are expanded to apply the brake shoes 43 tothe drum 42a, the eiect of which is to lock the ladder 2| in anypredetermined position against swinging movement laterally about theaxis of the column 1. Operation of the lever 49 upwardly releases thebrake shoes,

to permit swinging movement of the ladder. A

plate 46a is suitably secured by cap screws to the collar 46 and carriesa projecting lug 46h-to limit the upward movement of the toggle levers41, 41. The lever 41' consists o! two parts, one threaded into the otherto provide for adjustment of the levers.

50 indicates an auxiliary member extending substantially from end to endof and swingably mounted on the ladder section 22, and adapted to bepositioned on or over the ladder section 23 (see Figs. land 4)Accordingly, when the ladder is in a substantially 'horizontal positionand swung laterally (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) and operations are tobe carried out upon pole supported lamps or other overhead equipment andapparatus at the outer end of the ladder or intermediate its ends, theauxiliary member 50 serves as a walk for the mechanic or operator sothat he cangrea'dily traverse the ladder 2| from end to end, -instead ofattempting to tread the rungs. The auxiliary member may consist of aframe formed of channel members 5| between which is mounted a sheet ofwire mesh material 52, adapted to' serve as the walk or tread surface.The marginal or edge portions of the sheet material 52 are secured tothe channel members in any desired manner. The auxiliary member 59 isprovided along one side with a plurality of hinge members 53, suitablysecured to a hollow rod 54, which rotates in a plurality of bracketscarried by the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 22, whereby theauxiliary member may be swung into an upright position against a guard51, as shown in Fig. 3. The hinge members 53 are shaped to provide anoff-set portion 53a, so as to extend over the adjacent rail 24 of theladder section 23, whereby the auxiliary member 50 may rest on the rungs23a thereof. When the auxiliary member 50 is in its inoperativeposition, the ladder section 23 may be extended relative to the section22 and both sections used in the usual way. I preferably provide a guardalong either side of the ladder section 22. Each guard 51 consists of ahand rail 58, supported and braced by a plurality of rods or standards55, 59' suitably secured to the adjacent rail 24 of the ladder section22. Between and connected to certain of the rods 59 of the guard 51adjacent to"`the rod 54 I provide a spacing rod 60, on which isfulcrumed a rocker 6I, having a catch Sia at one end arranged to engagethe auxiliary member 50 and lock it to the guard, as shown in Fig. 3.The rocker 6i is preferably biased into locking position by acoiledspring 62. The other end of the rocker 6i is connected to a pullrod 63, whereby it may be released from the auxiliary member 50.

6 indicates an auxiliary guard mounted on the outer end of the laddersection 23. The guard N consists of a loop formed of suitable pipingcovered with' rubber or other insulating material. The guard et isprovided st its sides with arms G5, pivoted' on the outer ends of therails 24 of the ladder section 23, a projection 6d on each rail 2dserving to limit the outward movement of the guard and a pin 61 movablymounted in an opening formed in one rail 2d serving to limit the inwardmovement of the guard. The pin 61 is disengageable from the guard arm sothat the guard may be swung or folded down on the rails 2li of theladder section, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. A spring Sii may becoiled around the pin 61 between the projecting end of one of thereinforcing plates 69 on the endof the adjacent rail 2d and a lug 1d onthe pin for normally projecting the pin outwardly into operativeposition, as shown in Fig. 7; the lug 1li being adapted to operate as ahandle for the pin to disengage it from the adjacent arm 55.

Rearward of one housing 5 I may provide a seat 1li and rearward of theother housing I provide a ladder 1l to facilitate access to the ladder2l. As shown in Fig. l, the tubular member or column 1 is arranged onthe platform l rearward of the housings so that the ladder 2l may beoperated into various positions without interference therewith.

As will be understood from Fig. 2, (a) the guard 64 occupies asubstantially upright position, when the ladder 2l is disposedhorizontally so that the mechanic cannot fall off the outer end of theladder and (b) when the ladder is tilted and the mechanic is standing ona step 13 (later referred to) carried by and between the rails of theladder section 23 near its outer end, the guard surrounds the mechanicso as to insure his safety in this position.

'me step 1s (shown particuiariy in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive) comprisesa plurality of spaced slats or bars 14 connected together at theiropposite ends by channels 15 and end bars 15a and connected togetherintermediate their ends by a cross member 16 having pairs of spacedtransverse walls 16a. The walls 16a of each pair are formed with alinedopenings to receive a shaft 11 xedly supported at its outer end in theadjacent rail 24 of the ladder section 23. The shafts 11 are mounted inalinement and serve as a fulcrum for the step 13. 'I'he step 13 isswlngable from a position alined with the ladder relation tothe laddersection 23, such means shown herein for illustrative purposes comprisingthe following: 18 indicates plates secured to the inner sides of therails 24 of the ladder section 23 and having arcuate end walls 18aconcentric to the axis of the shafts 11, each formed with a series ofnotches 19, each notch in one plate being alined with a 'notch in theother plate. indicates a spring operated member arranged to engage anytwo alined notches to secure the step, in the desired fixed relation tothe ladder rails. The member Bil comprises a cross rod 8| disposedtransversely of the step 13 and a rod 82 connected at one end. to therod 48| and extending longitudinally of the step. Be-

low and at the opposite sides of the step adjacent its inner end Iprovide blocks 83 formed with alined slots 84 extending parallel to thestep, the opposite end portions of the rod 8l extending through theslots 84 so that their free ends may be removably seated in any twoalined notches 19. 'Ihe rod 82 extends through and is endwise movable inan opening 85 formed in the cross member 16. A coiled spring 86 coiledaround the rod 82 and interposed between the cross member 16 and a bead81 on the outer end of the rod,

v serves normally to bias the member 80 in a direction outwardly of thestep 13, so as to maintain the bar 8| inthe alined notches correspondingto the position to which the step is adjusted. A handle 88 suitablysecured to either or both of the rods 8l, 82, may serve as a means forremoving the rod 8i from any two alined notches and holding it outwardlyof the arcuate Walls 18a while the step is being moved or adjusted fromone position to another position.

'Ihe outer end portion of the ladder 2l may be counterbalancedl in anydesired manner; for example, by means of a weight S, as shown in Fig. 1,or by means of an expansion spring 9E, as shown in Fig. 17. In thislatter arrangement I provide a pair of telescopically relatedtubularmembers 9|, 92, the former being pivoted to the bracket 33 andthe latter member being pivoted to a cross rod 93 mounted at its ends inthe channels 26, the opposite ends of spring d@ abutting against the endwalls of the membersl di, 92, and normally tending to move the latterendwise outwardly. Suitable means 4(not shown) maybe provided foradjusting the tension of the spring.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changesin constructionand widely differing embodiments and applications of theinvention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit andscope of the invenbe tilted in vertical planes, the intermediate 75member being movable endwise on said lower member and the upper memberbeing hingedly connected along one longitudinal side to one side of saidlower member outwardly of said intermediate member for movement toaninoperative position outwardly of said lower and intermediate members.

2. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a columnon saidplatform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on saidcolumn and comprising a main section and a separate section normallydisposed in superposed relation to said main section, said separatesection being slidable endwise on said main section, and a walkextending longitudinally of said ladder and arranged to normally lie onsaid separate section, said walk being hinged along one side to one railof said main section whereby it may be swung to an inoperative positionat one side of said main and separate sections.

3. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a columnon said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on saidcolumn and comprising a main section and a separate section normallydisposed in superposed relation to said main section, said separatesection being slidable endwise on said main section, and a walkextending longitudinally of said ladder and arranged to normally lie onone of said sections, said Walk being hinged along one side to one rail.of said main section whereby it may be swung to an inoperative positionat one side thereof.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the walk consists of aframeand wire screen material connected along its marginal portions tosaid frame.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the side rail to which thewalk is hinged is provided with latching means for holding said walk inits inoperative position.

6. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a columnon said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on saidcolumn, a guard secured to and extending longitudinally of said ladder,a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder and hinged along one sideto one rail thereof, said walk being arranged to lie on said ladder andto be swung to an inoperative position, and means carried by said guardfor holding said walk in its inoperative position.

7. In a vehicle having a platform, the com y binationcf a columnthereon, a ladder comprising a main section mounted to tilt and swinglaterally on said column and a separate section the side rails of whichare disposed within the side rails of said main section and slldablyengage the rungs thereof for movement endwise, a walk extendinglongitudinally of said sections and arranged to lie on said separatesection, and hinge elements between one side of said walk and theadjacent rail of said main section, to permit said walk to swing to aninoperative position, said hinge elements having off-sets extending overthe adjacent side rail of said separate section.

8. In a wheel mounted frame, a platform thereon, a column on saidplatform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on said columnand comprising a main section and a separatesection slidable thereon, aguard secured to and extending longitudinally of. said main laddersection, a walk extending longitudinally of said separate ladder sectionand hinged along one side to one rail of said main ladder section, saidwalk being arranged to lie on said separate ladder section and to beswung to an inoperative position, and means carried by said guard forsecuring said walk in its inoperative position.

9. In a wheel mounted frame, a platform thereon, a column on saidplatform, a ladder mounted intermediate its ends on said column to tiltand swing laterally, a walk extending longitudinally of said ladder andhinged along one side to one rail of said ladder, said walk beingarranged to lie on said ladder and to be swung bodily laterally to aninoperative position at one side of said ladder, whereby the rungs ofsaid ladder are unobstructed from end to end thereof, and means forholding said walk in its inoperative position.

10. In a vehicle having a platform thereon, the combination of a columnon said platform, a ladder mounted to tilt and swing laterally on saidcolumn, a guard secured to one side of said ladder and extendinglongitudinally thereof, a walk extending longitudinally of said ladderand hinged along one side to one rail thereof., said walk being arrangedto lie on said ladder and to be swung bodily laterally to an inoperativeposition at one side thereof, and means for holding said Walk in itsinoperative position.

PAUL E. HAWKINS.

